Monmouth Park and Del Mar Picks:
Summer racing has officially arrived! Today marks the opening day of Del Mar, the premiere meet on the West Coast. It’s a unique month of racing, with Saratoga and Del Mar overlapping and providing the best two single meets of the year. Add that to the five graded stakes at Monmouth, and we’ll have one heck of a day! Let’s look at today’s Saratoga picks.
Grade 1 Haskell, Monmouth Park, Race #12
The race of the day will take place from the Jersey Shore, and the top two from the Belmont Stakes will face off in a rematch. #7 Mindframe did everything but win that Belmont Stakes while stepping up in class. He broke all the way on the outside that day and was wide on the far turn, yet it seemed like he was going to win before he got goofy in the stretch. The added race under his belt should help him mentally progress. If he does that today, he is clearly the horse to beat.
#3 Tuscan Sky won the local prep for this, the Pegasus, over the Monmouth dirt to punch his ticket into the race. It was his first off the layoff after a disappointing Wood Memorial. He’s got a right to improve even more today which would put him right in contention at the wire.
#1 Dornoch was the surprise winner of the Belmont Stakes last time out. I was shocked that he was able to get the mile and a quarter distance that day since he had struggled with any distance over a mile and sixteenth. It’s hard for me to see him repeat that effort and even harder to bet him at 5/2 after he won at 18-1.
#4 Timberlake returns to the track for the first time since the Arkansas Derby in what seems to be a tall task. He’s another horse who prefers to go shorter distances so it is very interesting that Brad Cox decided on this spot to return. I respect the connections, but don’t see the horse on top.
Monmouth Park Picks: 7-3-1-4
Bets:
$50 Win #7
$50 Exacta – 7-3
Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes, Del Mar, Race #9
Let’s go from coast to coast and head out to Del Mar for their feature on the card, which sports a full field of three-year-old fillies heading to the post. I’m extremely interested in what #6 Iscreamuscream will show in her first stakes race. She is a perfect two two-for-two on the track, showing a devastating kick in both wins. Those were both in turf sprints, so she does have to go two turns for the first time, but the breeding is solid both top and bottom to handle it. If she holds anywhere near her morning line of 3-1, she is worth a win bet.
#1 Loterie took five tries to break her maiden, but that is slightly misleading. She has been in the top 3 in every start and was the favorite over this track and distance last year in a stakes race. She is 10-1 today for top connections. If she is able to win, it’s unlikely we will see that price on her again in 2024. The favorite will be undefeated
#10 Medoro. You’ve got to respect what she has done on the track with three stakes wins already to her name, but if you are going to beat her, today is the day. She’s coming off a four-month layoff, and the run to the first turn is quick, going a mile at Del Mar. It’s unlikely she will be able to save ground unless she drops further back than normal. At 8/5, that’s enough reason for me to try to beat her here.
#9 Zona Verde is one of the more experienced horses with eleven races under her belt including a stakes win. She is going to need to improve to compete for the top spot, but has a very good chance of finishing in the top 4.
Del Mar Picks: 6-1-10-9
Bets: $50 Win – #6
Spot Plays:
Saratoga Race #11 – $50 Exacta 3-4
Del Mar Race #8 – $50 Win #5
Monmouth Race #9 – $50 Exacta 5-8
